Paper feeding apparatus



O 1945. R. J. THOMPSON 7 2,387,954

PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS Filed April 7,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q INVENTORFOEEETJ. THOMPSON 30, 1945. R. J. THOMPSON PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS FiledApriL'Y, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet Elma/14M Foaszr J. THOMPSON Patented Oct.30, 1945.

UNITED STATES earaur OFFICE PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS Robert J. Thompson,Harrisburg, Pa., assignor to The W. O. HickokMfg. Co., Harrisburg, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 7, 1944, Serial No529,963

14 Claims.- (Cl. 271-49) This invention relates to sheet feeders.

In the art of handling sheets, for example, in the feeding of sheets toapparatus such as ruling machines, it is the common practice to employ asheet feederhaving a table on which a stack of sheets is arranged andin'conjunction with which a mechanism operates to feed sheets one at atime over a guide conveyor to the particular apparatus to which thesheets are to be fed. The guide conveyor, generally speaking, comprisesa pair of' rollers around which pass a plurality of endless tapes to theupper runs of which the successive" sheets from the stack are fed to bemoved by the tapes. An alining device is employed in conjunction withthe tapes so that in moving lengthwise of the tapes the paper iscaused'to be moved laterally to whatever extent is necessary toplace oneedge'thereofin the proper osition to be accurately fed to the rulingmachine or other apparatus.

One such sheet feeding. mechanism is shown, for example, in the patentto Albert Broadmeyer,

No. 1,766,482. In such patent angularly arranged rollers associated withthe guide conveyor effect the slight transverse movement necessary tosecure proper alinement of the paper sheets. In

such an apparatus the guidin and alining means is so arranged as to becapable of adjustment transversely of the guide conveyor, and for thispurpose the guiding device is carried by rods extending'transversely ofthe apparatus and slid ably supported in the'side frames thereof. It isnecessary, Of course, that the guiding and alining device be accuratelyset so that the subsequent operation or operations may be exactlyperformed; This ordinarily is done by some device such as a ruler or apair of calipers and it is quite diflicult to accurately perform inorderthat both ends of the guiding and alining device may be accurately set.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an aliningdevice for paper feeding machines having, novelmeans associatedtherewith'to provide for the quick and accurate adjustment of thedevice.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism wherein the rods whichcarry the alining device are provided with means operating inconiunctionwiththe supporting frame to facilitate the accuratesetting f the aliningdevice.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of this character wherein thesupporting rods for the alining device are provided with means whereby anew setting for the alining device may be: accurately measured and setbefore moving the alining device to a new setting, thus facilitating theaccurate setting of the device. e

Other objects and advantages of the invention Figure 4 is a detailperspective view of one of the split-collar clamping devices,

Figure 5 is an enlargeddetail sectional view taken substantially on line55 of Figure 1', and

Figure 6 is a, fragmentary side elevation showing a pair of tape-movingfingers in positionon one of the adjustable rods.

Referring to Figure 1 the numeral It] designates a table for supportinga pile of paper sheets from the top of which successive sheets areadapted to be picked up by a suction head ll, operated in,

any suitable manner, to feed the sheets to a guide conveyor [2. Suchconveyor is conventional'in itself and comprises side rails l3 and I4supporting rollers I5 and [6 at opposite ends and'around which passconveyor tapes I! to the upper runs of which the successive paper sheetsare fed from the pile on the table IQ. An idlerbar l8 engages the bottomruns of the tapes I! to maintain them properly taut, in accordance withconventional practice. l

The tapes I! feed the successive paper strips toward the right as viewedin Figure 1 to another apparatus for the performance of subsequentoperations on the sheets. Such apparatus to which the sheets are fed maybe, for example, a paper ruling apparatus. The sheets fed to such anapparatus must be properly uniformly positioned transversely of theapparatus so that the lines ruled on the sheets may be accurately placedand whereby all of the sheets may be identically ruled.

For this purpose an alining device indicated as a whole by the numerall9 is employed. This device may comprise an elongated body 20 of anglesection as shown in Figures 3 and 5. The numeral 28 indicates the guideitself and this guide is provided with a pair of depending bearings 2|each of which slidably receives a rod 22. The rods 22 extendtransversely of the apparatus parallel to each other as, shown in Figure1 and the end portions of each rod are slidable respectively in the sideframe members l3 and I4 of the conveyor l2. Each bearing 2| ispreferably fixed to its associated rod 22 by a set screw 25.

The guide rail 20 carries a supplemental wood or similar guide member 28(Figures 2 and 5) the bottom of which is spaced from the bottom flangeof the rail 20 as at 29. The bottom face of the entrance end of theguide member 28 is cut away by curving it upwardly as at 3!] tofacilitate the entrance of the end edge of the paper into the space 29.Such guide is preferably supplemented by a spring guide 3| (Figure 2)beneath which the paper passes and by which it is held in contact withthe bottom flange Of the guide rail 20.

In order to move'the longitudinal edge of the paper into engagement withthe vertical flange of the guide rail 20 to properly aline it for thesubsequent operations, a plurality of devices such as shown in Figure 5are employed. In practice two of these devices are employed. on eachapparatus and only one need be particularlyreferred to, although itwillbecome apparent that this device forms no part per se of the presentinvention. Each of the alining devices, as shown in Figure 5, comprisesa bearing 34 supporting a shaft 35 on the outer end of which is arrangeda two-grooved pulley 36 and on the inner end of which is arranged awheel 31 surrounded by a rubber or similar band 38 to frictionallyengage the paper passing thereover. A bracket element 39 is carried bythe rail 25] and is provided over the wheel 31 with an openbottomed ballrecess 40 in which is arranged a ball 4|. This ball rolls on the surfaceof the paper passing between the ball and the band 38 to maintain thepaper in frictional contact with the band 38. The shafts of the twodevices shown in Figure 5 are arranged at a slight angle as shown inFigure 1 so that engagement of the bands 38 of the two devices with thepaper tends to move them outwardly, or to the left as viewed in Figure 5to move the paper laterally of the apparatus to whatever extent isnecessary to bring the adjacent longitudinal edge of the paper intoengagement with the vertical flange of the guide rail 20 to properlyaline the paper. One of the devices, as shown in Figure 5, is providedwith a two-grooved pulley 36, while the pulley of the other device has asingle groove. The pulley shown in Figure 5 is driven by a suitable cordor the like 42 (Figure 1) passing around one of the grooves'of thepulley and around the roller IS. A second cord 43 passes around thegroove of the pulley of the other alining device and around the secondgroove of the pulley shown in Figure 5.

The alining and guiding device will be positioned transversely of theapparatus in adjusted positions, depending upon the ruling or otheroperations to be subsequently performed. This adjustment previously hasbeen difficult to accurately carry out. It has been the common practiceto do this by measuring with a rule or caliper from the rail l3 along abar similar to one of the bars 22 to determine the distance to which theguiding and alining device is to be moved transversely of the apparatusto its new position. The difficulty of making this adjustmentisincreased by the fact that it is impossible for one operator tomeasure along both rods 22 at the same time and to simultaneously move 7the guiding and alining device exactly to its new There is sufticable tomeasure along one rod and then move the alining device to its newposition in accordance with the measurement on one rod and to have itaccurately positioned with respect to the other ,rod. In such case thevertical flange of the guide 20 may not be exactly parallel to thedesired direction of movement of the sheets onthe tapes I1. The presentinvention provides means whereby this difliculty is eliminated andwhereby a single operator may accurately reset the guiding and aliningmeans.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that each rod 22 is providedwith a knob 45 secured thereto outwardly of the side frame member l3.This rod is provided with a pair of collars 45 and 41 arranged onopposite sides of the adjacent frame member I3. Each of the collars 46and 41 is split as at 48 (Figures 3 and 4) and is provided withoutstanding lugs 49 receiving a clamping screw 50. The lugs 49 of thetwo collars of each rod 22 are offset away from the side frame member l3to facilitate the operation of the' winged handle of the clamping screw59 associated therewith.

Two of the collars 46 and 41 are employed for each rod 22 so as tofacilitate measurements both inwardly and outwardly of the side framemember l3. The rod 22 is preferably calibrated as at 5| to permit thesetting of either of the collars 46 or 41 in a manner to be described,thereby eliminating any necessity for employing a ruler or a pair ofcalipers. The frame member I3 is provided with a set screw 52 for eachof the rod 22, as shown in Figure 3.

As is well known, the supporting tapes I I should be uniformly spacedand the edge of the sheet remote from the guiding and alining deviceshould not project substantially beyond the tape nearest the framemember M. The guiding and alining device usually is moved solely tochange the position of the margin at one edge of the sheets whilefeeding through the apparatus sheets of the same size. Therefore, it ishighly desirable that the tapes I! be maintained in the same positionsrelative to the guiding and alining device. The present device includesmeans for accomplishing this result. One of the rods 22 carries aplurality of devices each of which is engageable with the lower run ofone of the tapes I1, and One of these devices is illustrated in Figure 6and indicated as a whole by the numeral 55. These devices are for thepurpose of moving the tapes in accordance with movement of the guidingand alining device and each device 55 comprises a hub 56 receiving oneof the rods 22 and secured thereto in any adjusted position by a thumbnut 51. The device comprises a pair of depending fingers 58 betweenwhich one of the tapes I'I operates. Any sliding movement of the rods 22will move the devices 55 to effect movement of the tapes I! as furtherdescribed below.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The means for picking off successive top sheets I chine. Accordingly theguiding and alining device IQ is employed, and this, in itself, also maybe conventional, for example, of the type shown' inthe patentreferred'to, and forms no part per se of" the present invention.Successive sheets from the pile'passing over the tapes I1 willihave onelongitudinal edge portion thereof arranged on the horizontal flange ofthe guide rail 20; usually not in contact with the vertical flange ofsuch rail. Such longitudina1 edge of such sheet will Pass beneath theresilient member 3| and then beneath the guide member 28 and as thesheetprogresses across the tapes !I, it will be engagedfirst by the band38 of one alining device and then by the similar band of the secondalining device. The paper will be held in en gagement with such bands bythe balls 4I resting on the paper. The angular arrangement of eachroller 31is such as to feed the paper transversely of the apparatus towhatever minor extent is necessary to bring the adjacent longitudinaledge of the'paper into engagement with the vertical flange of the guiderail 2a. The paper will then be exactly alined for the subsequentoperations in the ruling machine or other mechanismto which the papersheets are fed,

Assuming that operations have been completed on one batch of paper andanother operation is to beperformed on a subsequent batch which requiresa difierent adjustment of the guiding and alining means transversely ofthe apparatus, the device forming the subject matter of the presentinvention will be brought into use. Assuming that the parts will havebeen in the positions shown in Figures 1 and 3 with the collar 46 ofeach rod 22 in engagement with the frame member I3, and that thesubsequent adjustment requires movement of the rail 20 toward the'sideframe member I3, the collar 41 may be adjusted along each rod 22 forthis purpose. The distance of the adjustment of the guide rail 29 beingknown, the thumb screw 50 of the collar 41 will be loosened and thiscollar will be moved along the calibrations to the desired point. Thethumb screw 50 will then be tightened and the operation will be repeatedas to the collar 41 of the other rod 22. The collars 41 of the two rodswill then be located exactly the same distance from the side rail I3.The thumb screws 52 are then loosened, whereupon the operator will graspthe handles 45 of the two rods 22 and pull outwardly on these rods topull the collars 4'! into engagement with the frame member I3. The thumbscrews 52 will then be tightened, whereupon the apparatus is ready forimmediate operation with the. guiding and alining device accuratelypositioned in its new adjustment.

When the adjustment referred to is made, each device 55 will be movedwith the associated rod 22 obviously the exact distance of movement ofthe guiding and alining device. If the tapes I1 are running at the timethe adjustmentis made, the tapes will crawl endwise along the rollersI5and IE to assume their proper new positions. If the tapes H are notrunning when the adjustment is made, the lower runs of the tapes merelyWill'be stretched by the fingers 58. Upon the starting of the apparatusto drive the. tapes I1, these elements will soon assume their properpositions along the rollers I5 and Hi The adjustment of the rods 22,therefore, is quickly and easi- 1y accomplished to properly position theguiding and alining device, and simultaneously with such adjustment, all'of the tapes are similarly moved so as to remain in their exactpositions relative to each other and to the guiding and alining device.

Accordingly itis unnecessary to adjust the de- X306 I9 and thereafterseparately adjust the tapes Assumingthat it later becomes desirable toadjust the guide rail 20 laterally inwardly away from the frame memberI3, the same operations will be performed relative to the collars 46 ofthe two rods 22. Each collar 46 will be moved to the desired positionspaced from the frame member I3 a distance equal to the desired distanceof lateral adjustment of the guide rail 20 away from the frame memberI3. The set screws 50 of the collars 46 will be tightened and the screws52 loosened. The operator will then push inwardly on the two knobs 45 tomove the collars 46 into engagement with the frame member I3 whereuponthe set screws 52 will again be tightened. A new and accurate adjustmentfor the guiding and alining device will thus be provided. Suchadjustment of the guiding and alining device also will resultsimultaneously in the adjustment of thetapes IT as in the mannerpreviously described. the fingers 58 of the devices 55 moving the tapesin the opposite direction to the adjustment previously described tocause the tapes I I to assume new positions transversely of theapparatus, but in the same positions relative to each other and to theguiding and alining device.

The present device eliminates the conventional practice of measuringalong the rods 22 and then moving the guiding and alining devicetherealong. It is diificult to accurately position the device I9 undersuch conditions, and it is difficult for one operator to perform thisoperation. With the present device, either set of collars 46 or 4! maybe accurately positioned and clamped to the rods 22, whereupon theserods may be moved to engage the necessary set of collars with the .siderail I 3. Under such conditions highly accurate adjustment may bequickly and easily obtained and it is never necessary to correct theadjustment because of error or misalinement of the parts,

It is to be understood that the form of the in.- vention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction and a paper-edge engaging guide extendingin said direction, means normally fixed with respect to said guide forsupporting it for movement transversely of said direction, and meansconstructed and arranged to be fixed in adjusted positions with respectto said guide transversely of said direction, said last named meansconstituting a stop and engageable with a stationary element forlimiting movement of said guide to a predetermined adjusted positiontransversely of said direction.

2. In apaper feeding apparatus, having'a con veyor for moving paperlinearly in a given directionand a paper-edge engaging guide extendingin said direction, means normally fixed with respect to said guide forsupporting it for movement transversely of said direction, meansconstructed and arranged to be fixed in adjusted positions with respectto. said guide transversely of said direction, said last named meansconstituting a stop engageable with a stationary element for limitingmovement of said guide to a predetermined adjusted position'transversely of said diadapted to be fixed in corresponding adjustedpositions with respect to said guide transversely of said direction,said, means constituting stops and being engageable with a stationaryelement to limit movement of said guide to a predetermined adjustedposition.

4. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction and a paper-edge engaging guide extendingin said direction, a pair of parallel supporting rods extendingtransversely of said direction and slidably supported by the apparatus,said guide being fixed to said supporting rods, and means carried byeach rod and adapted to be fixed in corresponding adjusted positionstherealong, said means being engageable with a stationary portion of theapparatus to limit movement of said guide transversely of said directionto a predetermined adjusted position.

5. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction and a paper-edge engaging guide extendingin said direction, a pair of parallel supporting rods extendingtransversely of said direction and slid- I ably supported by theapparatus, said guide being fixed to said supporting rods, and meanscarried by each rod and adapted to be fixed in corresponding adjustedpositions therealong, said means being engageable with a stationaryportion of the apparatus to limit movement of said guide transversely ofsaid direction to a predetermined adjusted position, said rods beingcorrespondingly calibrated to predetermined corresponding adjustedpositions of said means along said rods.

6. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction, a paper-edge engaging guide extending insaid direction, and a stationary frame including side frame membersparallel to said direction, a pair of spaced parallel supporting rods towhich said guide 'is fixed, said rods extending transversely of saiddirection and being slidably carried by said side frame members, and aclamping collar carried by each rod and adapted to be clamped inadjusted position therealong, said collars being engageable with one ofsaid side frame members to limit movement of said guide transversely ofsaid direction to a predetermined adjusted position.

7. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction, a paper-edge engaging guide extending insaid direction, and a stationary frame including side frame membersparallel to said direction, a pair of spaced parallel supporting rods towhich said guide is fixed, said rods extending transversely of saiddirection and being slidably carried by said side frame members, and aclamping collar carried by each rod and adapted to be clamped inadjusted positions therealong, said collars being engageable with one ofsaid side frame member to limit movement of said guide transversely ofsaid direction to a predetermined adjusted position, said rods beingcorrespondingly calibrated for the clamping of said collars on said rodsin predetermined corresponding positions.

8. In a paper feeding apparatus, having a conveyor for moving paperlinearly in a given direction, a paper-edge engaging guide extending insaid direction, and a stationary frame including side frame membersparallel to said direction, a pair of spaced parallel supporting rods towhich said guide is fixed, said rods extending transversely of saiddirection and being slidably carried by said side frame members, a pairof split collars carried by each rod on opposite side of one of saidside fram members, and a clamping screw carried by each collar forclampin it in adjusted positions along the corresponding rod, thecollars of said rods at each side of such side frame member beingadapted to be clamped in corresponding positions along said rods toengage such side frame member upon movement of said guide transverselyof said direction to limit movement of said guide to a predeterminedadjusted position. 7

9. In a paper feeding apparatus, having parallel endless conveying tapesfor moving paper linearly in a given direction, and a paper-edgeengaging guide extending in said direction, supporting means for saidguide movable transversely of said direction, means adjustable withrespect tosaid guide and engageable with a stationary element fordetermining adjustment of said guide transversely of said direction, andmeans carried by said supporting means and engaging said tapes forshifting them transversely of said direction upon movement of saidsupporting means.

10. In a paper feeding apparatus, having parallel endless conveyingtapes for moving paper linearly in a given direction, and a paper-edgeengaging guide extending in said direction, supporting means for saidguide movable transversely of said direction, means adjustable withrespect to said guide and engageable with a stationary element fordetermining adjustment of said guide transversely of said direction, andtape shifting devices carried by said supporting means and eachcomprising a pair of spaced fingers between which one run of one of thetapes is disposed.

11. In a paper feeding apparatus, having parallel endless conveyingtapes for moving paper linearly in a given direction, and apaper-edgeengaging guide extending in said direction, a pair of spaced parallelsupports carrying said guide and mounted for endwise movementtransversely of said direction to adjust the position of said guide, apositioning element adjustably car ried by each of saidsupports andadapted to be secured in corresponding adjusted positions transverselyof said direction, said positioning elements being engageable with astationary element to limit movement of said guide, and means carried byone of said supports and engageable with each of said tapes foreffecting movement thereof transversely of said direction upon saidmovement of said supports.

' 12. In a paper feeding apparatus, having par- 7 allel endlessconveying tapes for moving paper linearly in a given direction, and apaper-edge engaging guide extending in said direction, a pair of spacedparallel supports carrying said guide and mounted for endwise movementtransversely of said direction to adjust the position of said guide, apositioning element adjustably carried by .each of said supports andadapted to be secured in corresponding adjusted positions transverselyof said direction, said positioning elements being engageable with astationary element to limit movement of said guide, a plurality ofcollars carried by one of said supports, and a pair of fingers fixed toeach collar and receiving one of said tapes therebetween to effectshifting thereof transversely of said direction upon movement of saidsupports.

13. In a paper feeding apparatus, having parallel endless conveyingtapes for moving paper linearly in a given direction, a paper-edgeengaging guide extending in said direction, and stationary side framemembers parallel to said direction, a pair of spaced parallel supportingrods to which said guide is fixed, said rods extending transversely ofsaid direction and being slidably supported by said side frame members,an adjustable collar carried by each rod and adapted to be fixed incorresponding adjusted positions along said rods, said adjustablecollars being engageable with one of said side frame members uponmovement of said rods transversely of said direction to limit movementof said guide, and means carried by one of said rods and engaging saidtapes for shifting the latter transversely of said direction to maintainthem in the same positions relative to each other and to said guide uponmovement of said rods transversely of said direction.

14. In a paper feeding apparatus, having parallel endless conveyingtapes for moving paper linearly in a given direction, a paper-edgeengaging guide extending in said direction, and stationary side framemembers parallel to said direction, a pair of spaced parallel supportingrods to which said guide is fixed, said rods extending transversely ofsaid direction and being slidably supported by said side frame members,an adjustable collar carried by each rod and adapted to be fixed incorresponding adjusted positions along said rods, said adjustablecollars being engageable with one of said side frame members uponmovement of said rods transversely of said direction to, limit movementof said guide, a plurality of collars carried by said rod and adjustabletherealong to positions corresponding to the respective tapes, and apair of fingers carried by each of said plurality of collars andreceiving one of said tapes therebetween to shift the lattertransversely of said direction upon movement of said rods transverselyof said direction.

ROBERT J. THOMPSON.

